Trustworthy, administrator
11,886
edits
Changes
→TV filming: additional info
Following an inspection in April 1972 in advance of the SVR re-opening this section of the line, Maj. Olver of the Railway Inspectorate recommended that the crossing should be fitted with gates capable of closing across the road and the line as appropriate. The gates and posts from the level crossing near [[Burlish Halt]] were retrieved for this purpose,<ref>SVR News 28</ref> although there is no record that they were ever installed.
From re-opening, a hand signalman was required to be present during operations. To remove the need for this, a successful application was made to the Department of Transport in 1979 for Northwood to be made an 'open' crossing.<ref>SVR News 52</ref> Equipment for this was duly installed, and the crossing was commissioned on 5th July 1980.<Ref>SVR News 57</ref><ref>[http://www.svrsig.org.uk/svr/NX.htm Northwood Crossing on the SVR Signalling web site]</ref> The crossing has no gates or barriers, but is protected by flashing lights displayed to road traffic together with an audible warning (the only crossing on the SVR protected in this fashion). The warning lights are operated automatically by track circuits and , with treadlesas a back up, with a white light displayed to the train to indicate that they are operating correctly. The lights and track circuits work at 24v via a mains supply. In the event of the supply failing, the system automatically switches to battery power and illuminates a warning light in [[Bewdley North signal box]]. Modern-style warning boards consisting of a black cross on a white square background are positioned on the approach to the crossing in both directions.
<gallery>
File:Crossing_Board_20150503.jpg | Warning board
The original timber crossing was replaced with a ‘Holfast’ prefabricated crossing in 2004.<ref>SVR News 147</ref>
==TV filming==The crossing was has featured in a number of film and TV productions including:* A Vauxhall Chevette advertisement (1978?), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOyt9qm69R8 The Test Drive] with a vehicle joining the line at the crossing and driving along the track to [[Bewdley Tunnel]].* The opening sequence of episode 2 of the short-lived 1982 BBC sit-com [[L For Lester]] which can be seen on this [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EimIqAlqnfU YouTube clip]. The crossing barriers were specially installed for filming purposes.* Series 5 episode 6 of the BBC sit-com [[Sorry!]], first screened on 21 June 1986. The episode "It's a Wonderful Life, Basically" paid homage to the James Stewart film, with Timothy Lumsden (Ronnie Corbett) wishing that he had never been born and discovering the consequences. Two scenes were involved, both involving a close encounter with a passing freight train but with very different outcomes. The crossing was again specially fitted with barriers for filming.
== See Also also ==
[[Orchard Bungalow level crossing | Towards Kidderminster]]<br>
[[List of infrastructure]]<br>
